Ursula's Beginning

11. Treasures Untold (continued)

Her blonde prince. 

He let himself in and called her name from just inside the door. In a flash, he was at her bedside and she was sitting up, groggily asking how he was.

"I need to know why you think the ascension system is ridiculous," he replied. He looked and sounded agitated.

"Wellll," Ursula began, stretching, "it prioritizes maleness over everything else. Over knowledge, wisdom, leadership abilities. Look at the situation right now. Who knows more about running a kingdom: your mother, who has been helping her mate do just this for several decades, or her sons in their early twenties, or her daughters who are still teenagers? And yet, five children would have to step aside and grant her permission, or lose to her in the kind of challenge described by Ganeon the other night...presuming what he told us was accurate...for her to take the throne. It's as if someone decided long ago that the only thing worse than a female ruler is a female ruler of advanced age! Because Psamanthe or Halimede could reach the throne easier than your mother. And one can think of so many other ludicrous situations. For example, imagine a king and queen dying at the same time from some kind of illness or accident. They have an intelligent 30-year-old daughter and a buffoonish 12-year-old son. Who becomes the next leader, by default?"

Triton held up a hand to stop her. He sensed she could supply such hypothetical scenarios the rest of the evening, if encouraged to do so. "I figured your objections stemmed from this, and I happen to agree with you. And Ganeon is right about the protocol, down to the last detail. I met with Ephram and some others privately to confirm it."

"My goodness. I guess I should never doubt him again."

Triton nodded. "So I've been thinking. Once mother hears about father's last words, perhaps she will agree to lead. Surely she would prefer her children not quarrel over the throne. Alphon might even be reasonable about it if she's firm on the subject." Ursula's eyebrows shot up involuntarily, but Triton pressed on. "He could abdicate on a temporary basis, and after her passing he'd still be first in line, as far as I understand. And maybe he can be groomed for the position in those intervening years."

"I fear you may have it backwards. It's probably not a question of 'would Alphon oppose Galataye on this,' but rather 'would Galataye oppose Alphon on this.' Your mother likely sees nothing wrong with Alphon becoming king--"

"But father's last words!" Triton interjected.

Now Ursula was holding up her hand to silence him. "She could choose not to believe my account of Nepp's parting instructions. Or she could believe me, but convince herself that Nepp was just babbling some nonsense out of confusion. Anyway, she is used to these rules of succession, for one thing. And mothers don't always see their children accurately, for another."

"You may be right, but I want to propose my idea to her privately and see if she's open to it."

"That wouldn't hurt anything, I'm sure. You don't want to challenge Alphon, I take it?" She tried to keep her tone neutral.

Triton sighed wearily. "I don't prefer to, but I will if I have to. If no one else will. What do you think of that?" he asked hesitantly.

The reply came without hesitation. "I think it will come down to you, and I think you'd be a great king."

Triton searched her face. "If I become king, how can we be together?"

Hope is not lost! Ursula shrieked internally. She bit back a smile to hide her jubilation. She had waited many days for a clear signal from her beloved, and here it was at last.

Triton was still talking. "...I won't be able to flout convention. Kingdoms value stability over all and challenging Alphon will be disturbance enough."

Ursula took his hands in hers. "Or," she drawled, "becoming king is the only chance we have to be together. Because as king, who will you have to answer to?"

"I'll have to answer to many," Triton said quietly.

Ursula persisted. "The night I met your father, I was thinking about how I needed his blessing, as king, to be with you. If our relationship was approved by the king, who could oppose it? But if you're the king, whose blessing would we need? Only yours!" Ursula grinned at him.

"I wanted his blessing too, but as my parent. And I wanted mother's blessing. Honestly, I would want mother's blessing now, even as king."

"I see," said Ursula softly. They stared at each other in silence, fingers still interlaced. "She wants you to be happy, though," Ursula ventured, a hint of a question in her voice.

"She does, but as you pointed out a moment ago, she is used to certain conventions and has no desire to change them. Perhaps she'd be more supportive if I were to stay out of the public eye. But if I become the king of Atlantica, I don't see how this would work," he said, freeing one of his hands and motioning to their respective lower extremities.

With this gesture, the nucleus of a contingency plan took form, perfect as a pearl, in Ursula's mind.

"Triton, I want to be with you more than you can fathom. I also promised your father something and I intend to see it through. He said 'don't let Alphon become king,' and it has presented me with quite a puzzle since I have no say in the matter. What power have I to stop him? But it's becoming clearer to me now. Surely my role is to help you see that you can do this—that you should do it, regardless of our personal feelings or prospects. And throughout this challenge I can support you, cheer you on, even offer you protective magic."

Triton's eyes were glistening. "So you'd sacrifice your personal desires to honor your vow to my father?"

Ursula nodded. "But I don't think I'll have to sacrifice anything."

Triton looked both puzzled and pained. He said nothing.

"Listen!" she chirped brightly. "I want you and Ganeon to come to me for a protection charm before you tell Alphon anything. That is, if you're going to challenge him. In the event that your mother wishes to lead, then only Ganeon needs to come to me before the news is broken to brother dearest. Agreed?"

"Alright."

"You know the places you can find me."

The prince nodded, kissed Ursula's soft lavender cheek, and was gone.

Ursula was electrified by the possible solution unfolding before her. She refreshed her own protection charm, threw on the mourning cloak, and rushed the box of pearls over to her former caretakers' home. She caught Melisande and Dismas just as they were about to retire for the night. They were touched by the story of Walter and his kin, and Melisande happily agreed to create a simple necklace or two for her daughter: long strands that could be looped, draped, or knotted however Ursula pleased.

She left their house, drawing up the hood of her cloak as she traversed their yard. Then, under the cover of darkness—and despite every warning she had ever received from her elders, despite every horror story she had ever heard—Ursula headed straight for the Uncivilized Waters.